Treated pur and art of treating the same



Patented Sept. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES onAaLns n. rlmxs, or DANBURY, CONNECTICUT. I

TREATED FUR AND ART OF TREATING- THE SAME.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. PARKS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Danbury, in the county of Fairfield, State of.

Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Treated Fur and Art of. Treating the Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to treated fur or similar material and to the art of treating the same and with regard to its more specific features to such material treated in preparation for the manufacture of felt therefrom.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide fur or the like having certain desired characteristics or properties in a high degree and free from certain objectionable characteristics often present in such material. Other objects are to provide material of the above nature especially adapted for the practical manufacture of felt and possessing certain qualities whereby efficient dyeing is facilitated and whereby a lower grade of raw material may be used. An-

other object is to provide material of the above nature capable offorming felt in a highly efficient and satisfactory manner and which is substantially free from harmful ingredients. Another object is to provide a practical and efiective art of treating fur or material of a" similar nature whereby the same may be prepared in a highly satisfactory manner for the manufacture of felt therefrom. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of composition, constitution of parts and in the several steps and relation and order of each of the same to one or more of the others thereof, all as will be illustratively described herein and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

As conducive to aclear understanding of the several features of this invention, it may be here noted that the subject matter of this invention deals rimarily with material such as fur or simi ar fibrous animal products treated or prepared principally for the manufacture of felt therefrom, as for example for the manufacture of felt hats, and with the art of carryin on such treatment. Fur or similar materia as it comes from the animal is ordinarily in its natural state .not suitable for the manufacture of felt and when Application filed June 30,

1923. Serial No. 648,850.

it reaches the hands of the felt manufacturer, it has been subjected to a preparatory treatment adapted to bring out certain desired qualities for felting. The broad idea of such preliminary treatment or preparation is commonly known as carroting and the fur after such treatment is commonly known as carroted fur. The formation of felt from fur or the like is brought about by the individual fibres in contact with each other overlapping and inter ocking and it is to increase this tendency of the fur to work together and interlock that the carroting process is resorted to. The natural fur has associated therewith a certain amount of oil or grease or gummy substance and other foreign material which for the sake of convenience and .clarity will be hereinafter generally referred to as wax. Fur after proper carroting treatment should have such wax removed or rendered soluble and in such condition the fur has the properties which are most to be desired for proper and efficient felting. The surface of a fur or hair fibre, as is commonly known, is coated with a layer of overlying scales or barbs and the fur after having the wax rendered ineffective by the carroting treatment has these scales loosened or released to some extent and thus loosened or released the scales or barbs assist materially in the interlocking action of the fibres to form felt. It may be here noted that the term fur having felting properties is used broadly to indicate fur having such" characteristics that when subjected to an ordinary felting process it will felt.

In the manufacture of felt, as for example in the manufacture of felt hats, the fur is continually handled throughout the different processes, many of the processes involving the application of hot water and steam and therefore a fur which in the carroting process has been impregnated with a poisonous material is extremely objectionable. The material commonly employed at the present time as a carroting substance is mercuric nitrate, prepared from nitric acid and mercury. Fur which has been treated with such a carroting material is, when it comes to the felt manufacturer, impregnated with a poisonous acid substance and the poisonous fumes i which are released therefrom during the processes of felt manufacture are high y objectionable and unhealthful. In addition to 110 the objectionable poisonous character of fur .treated with such material, the fur is apt to izing agent and an alkaline cleansing agent.

be roughened or partially disintegrated as a result of the strong acid treatment. The provision of treated furs or the like which are efficiently prepared tohave the properties most desired for felting, which are free from poisonous ingredients and which are characterized by other advantageous qualities is among the dominant aims of this invention.

The carroting process of this invention 1s most conveniently carried out by brushing the,carroting material into the fur in the form of a solution and in this manner the best results are obtained in that a solution may readily reach "all the fibres of the fur and a regular, uniform treatment thereof may be had. This process of carroting the fur preferably comprises the application to the fur of a solution of a mixture of an oxid- The preferred form of carroting substance employed in the carroting process of this invention comprises a solution of a mlxture 'of a non-acid or hydroxide cleansing agent and an oxidizing a ent. The cleansing agent is preferably hy roxide of sodium but.

other cleansing agents may be employed with good results, such as hydroxides of other elements of the alkali metal famil for example hydroxide of potassium. T e

oxidizing-agent preferably employed is hydrogen peroxide. The mixture of the cleansing agent and the oxidizing agent in solution may be prepared in other ways, in so far as the-broader features of this invention 1 are concerned, but is preferably prepared from a peroxide of the element forming the formin decomdposed b hydroxide cleansing agent by mixing the peroxide with water. For example, peroxide of sodium is supplied commercially in the form of a yellowish white powder which is water forming sodium hydroxi e and ydrogenperoxide. Sodium hydroxide is an excellent cleansing agent having a corrosive action upon most animal and vegetable materials and hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizing agent. .In such a solution, it is desirable to start with an ample volume. of water and sift the peroxide slowly thereinto, stirring the mixture in order to keep the temperature down. The reaction of the peroxide with thewater generates considerable heat and the temperature should be kept down to about 55 F. When the desired strength of the solution is obtained by thus gradually adding the sodium peroxide to the water, the solution is ready for application to the carroting process upon the fur or hair. The strengths of the solution preferably employed will be more fully set forth herein; after.

The process of applying the carrotin ma terial to the fur may be carried on whi e the fur is still upon the skin or it may be carried on after the fur has been removed from the skin or pieces. is to apply the carroting solution to the fur upon the skin. In accordance with this method, the solution is preferably applied to the fur by means of a brush, care being taken to thoroughly brush the material into the fur and evenly treat all parts thereof. The fur is then dried and is then ready for The preferred method removal and other steps in the manufacture 1 of felt. In the other method, namely that of applying the carroting material to ,the fur after it is removed from the skin or pieces, the process consists preferably of immersing the loose'fur in the solution and then drying the fur. In the first mentioned method, namely that of brushing the solution into the fur on the skin, amuch stronger solution of the carroting material is required than in the second method wherein the loose fur is immersed in the solution. When" using the solution by brushing it into the fur on the skin, the strength" of the solution may vary between the approximate limitsof 1 Baum and 10 Baum. However, it is found that the best results are better assured if the strength of the solution is "kept within the limits of about 2 5 Baum and 7 Baum. The strength of solution to give the best results may, however,

vary with the type and quality of the fur being carroted, it being found that with certain grades of tuna solution having a strength of about 6 Baum gives the best results. To give a solution having a strength of about 6 Baum. approximately Water. In this latter method, however, the

preferred proportions are about 2 pounds of sodium peroxide in 300 gallons of water, it being found that the solution resulting from such pro ortions gives good results when treating t e fur after being detached from the 'skm. process of treating It seems probable that, in the the loose fur, the carroting solution is a orded an opportunity of working inside the. fur fibres through the clipped chopped'or cut ends which opportunity is not afi'orded in the process of treating the fur upon the skin and this may ac- 1 count for the relative weakness of solution needed for suitable carroting ofthe detached fur.

In the carroting process embodied in thisinvention, as described above, the fur or other felting material has substantiall the wax or gummy substance removed 1; erefrom by being made soluble and absorbent 5 of water and then washed out. The car- -roted fur is non-poisonous and non-acid having either an alkaline or neutral reaction. The non-poisonous character of the carroted fur renders it far more suitable for handling and far more healthful from the standpoint impregnated with the poisonous nitrate.

of workmen who come into continual contact with the fur during the process of felt manufacture therefrom than is fur carroted by the usual nitrate of mercury process and The carroting process of this invention is much less liable to harm the fur and detract from the life thereof than is an acid treatment. Furthermore, felt prepared from an alkaline fur is far better suited for dyeing .than is a fur impregnated with acid as it takes the dye much easier. In the process of d eing fur or felt, the dye is first thorough y and evenly applied to all parts thereof, whereupon an acid is employed to set the dyes. In order to obtain the desired uniform results of dyeing, it is highly desirable that the fur or felt be free from acid in order that premature setting of the dye may be avoided and in order that an even and uniform application thereof 'may be had. It will readily be seen that an alkaline fur is particularly-adapted for this purpose, not

only on account of the absence of acid but on account of its neutralizing eflect on any acid that may be in the dyes. In addition the carroting processes of this invention enable the dyer to obtain lighter shades in the d ed fur as the carroting materials have a b caching or lightening action on the fur.

In the manufacture of felt hats and of other kinds of felt, it is common practice to mix with the good quality felting fur or fleece fur as it is called, a proportion of cheaper fur which felts little, if atall, thus reducing the price of the fur required for.

a hat and in some respects improving the hat. The amount of this cheaper fur or filler fur, as it is called, which can be eniployed is, of course, limited. When the fleece fur, as well as the cheaper filler fur, is treated in accordance with the carroting processes of this invention, it is found that due to the superiority of the felting qualities attained, a much larger uproportion of the filler fur may be employ than is possible when the old acid process of carroting is used.

-From the above, it will be seen that there is herein provided an art of preparing fur or similar material which attains many distinct, practical and useful advantages and. which. is particularly well adapted .for application to practical use. Furthermore,the resulting product is one which embodies all many qualities greatly to be desired in such materlal.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention and as the applying an alkaline solution of an oxidizmg agent to the fur on the skin and adapted to give the fur felting properties, drying the fur, and removing the fibers from the skin.

2.- Carroted fur or the like having upon the fibers thereof a product resulting from the reaction with the natural Wax thereon of an aqueous solution of an'oxidizing agent and a cleansing agent.

3. Garroted fur or the like having upon the fibers thereof a product resulting from the reaction with the natural wax thereon of a solution of a hydroxide of an alkali metal and an oxidizing agent.

4. Carroted fur or the like having upon the fibers thereof a product resulting from the reaction with the natural wax thereon of a solution of a hydroxide of an alkali metal andhydrogen peroxide.

5. Carroted fur or the like having upon the fibers thereof'a product resulting from the reaction with the natural Wax thereon of a solution of sodium peroxide dissolved in water.

6. The herein described art which consists in treating fur fibers with a solution of an oxidizing agent and a cleansing agent and adapted to give the fur feltin properties, dryin the fur fibers, and fe ting the fibers toget er.

7 7 The herein described art which consists in treating fur fibers with a solution of sodium peroxide dissolved in water and in pro-- portions to 've the fur felting properties, drying the bers, and subjecting the fibers to felting action.

8. The herein describedart of preparing fur or the like for felting which consists in treating the furwith a solution of an oxidizing agent and a cleansing agent and adapted to give the fur felting properties.

9. The herein described art of preparing fur or the like for felting which consists in treating the fur with a solution comprising a hydroxide of an alkali metal and an oxidizing agent in such proportions that the fur fibers are thereby given felting propof a hydroxideof an alkali metal and hydrogen peroxide in such proportions that the fur fibers are thereby given felting properties.

11. The herein described art of preparing fur or the like for felting which consists in treating the fur with an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide in such proportions that the fur fibers are thereby given felting properties.

' 12. The herein described art of preparing fur or the like for felting which consists in treating the fur with a solution of sodium peroxide in water having a strength between 1 Baum and 10 Baum.

13. Carroted fur or the like having upon the fibers thereof a product resulting from the reaction with the natural wax thereon of a aqueous solution of an oxidizing agent and a cleansing agent and comprising fibers removed from the skin.

14. Carroted fur or the like having upon the fibers thereof a product resulting from the reaction with the natural wax thereon of a solution of sodium peroxide dissolved fur or the like for felting which consists in treating the fur with a solution of sodium peroxide dissolved in water and in proportions to give the fur felting properties.

/ 16. The herein described art of preparing fur or the like for felting which consists in treating the fur with a solution of sodium peroxide in water having a strength between 24; Baum and 7 Baum.

17. The-herein described art of preparing fur or the like for felting which consists in treating the fur with a solution of sodium peroxide and water in such proportions that the fur fibers are thereby given felting properties, and in thereupon drying the fur to retain on the fibers thereof the roduct of the reaction of the solution with t e natural wax on the fibers.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 19th day of June 1923.

CHARLES D. PARKS. 

